Open LetterIn Support of the Resistance to the Illegitimate Micheletti Government in Honduras.

On July 15th, the National Front Against the Coup (Frente Nacional Contra el Golpe de Estado) which includes trade unions, peasant organizations, indigenous organizations, students, women and community organizations called for two days of demonstrations, occupations, work stoppages, walk-outs and other peaceful insurrectional actions against the de facto government of Roberto Micheletti. The Honduran constitution allows for “insurrection” against governments installed by force.

The actions on July 16 -17th are called in response to the refusal of the Micheletti de facto government to step down and the lack of any effective international action by governments or organizations such as the UN, OAS, to resolve the situation and return President Zelaya to Honduras.

Repression and violence against the resistance continues. Nearly two thousand persons have been detained, for curfew violations, for participation in demonstrations, and as part of the crack down against organizations and independent media opposed to the coup.

The de facto illegitimate government is doing everything possible to keep the truth away from the Honduran people and the international community. Independent media have their power cut when they are on air; facilities shut down; detentions and threats made against journalists and on Sunday, July 12th, correspondents from TeleSUR, the only major international television journalists broadcasting live from the streets of Tegucigalpa were expelled from the country.

Increasing violence against the Honduran people by national police and army is well documented, including the murder of Isis Obed Murillo, the 19 year old killed when troops opened fire on a demonstration in support of Zelaya’s return to Honduras on July 5th. Two well known trade unionists and leaders of the Popular Block (Bloque Popular), Roger Bado and Ramon Garcia were assassinated this past weekend in murders that, just like the coup itself, take us back to the dark days death squads and dictatorships.

For all these reasons the people of Honduras through their organizations and their President, Manuel Zelaya, have called for peaceful insurrection.

We, religious, social justice, and immigrant organizations in Chicago support their call and their demands:**Reinstate Manuel Zelaya, the only legitimate President of Honduras – Bring the coup-makers to justice.

**End all the repression against the people, their organizations and the independent media now!

**In the U.S. we call on our government to immediately end all aid to Honduras now and to withdraw the U.S. ambassador from Honduras and cut all relations with the de facto government.